Many industries require liquid materials of a particular viscosity and/or temperature range so that they can be processed on certain handling equipment, for example spray equipment. Moreover, many such liquids are stored under ambient conditions that can vary and are generally not optimum temperature-wise. If the ambient temperature is low enough, the liquid may become a solid.
Various attempts to provide devices for heating drums, by way of non-limiting examples, include side drum heaters having electric straps, jackets, bands or belts attachable around the circumference of a drum, forced air heaters, electric space heaters, thermostat controlled base heaters comprising a wire element, glass impregnated, silicone rubber heater mat such as available from Holroyd Components Ltd. of the UK, drum ovens, and induction base heaters, for example as available from Thermosafe Ltd. of England. Base drum heaters are also available from Tyco Thermal Controls of Redwood City, Calif.